Vacuum / pressure indicator

ABSTRACT

A device for indicating the current pressure state within a closed container, the device having at least a first substrate having a first set of displacement abilities; at least a second substrate having a second set of displacement abilities different from the displacement abilities of the first substrate; wherein the first and second substrates are held in separable abutment and displacement of one of the first and second substrates causes separation from such abutment producing an indication of either vacuum or pressure within the container. Also included is a method for indicating a pressure differential between the pressure in the interior of a closed container and the ambient pressure that includes deploying a pressure differential indicator on the container such that a first side is exposed to the interior of the container and a second side is exposed to the ambient pressure; and creating a pressure differential within the container.

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to devices for indicating the presents of vacuum or pressure within a container and, in particular, it concerns devices having two layers of substrate held in separable abutment such that separation from such abutment produces an indication of either vacuum or pressure within the container.

The use of “pop top” lids for the indication of a vacuum state within a jar is common within the art, but are usefully only to indicate a vacuum state. Attempts to provide other pressure change indicates have resulted in devices utilizing multi-step deployment methods, breakable components and the like. Many, if not all, of these pressure change indicators suffer from impracticality due to either complex production or deployments processes.

There is therefore a need for devices for indicating the presents of a state of vacuum or pressure within a container that is easy to manufacture and easy to deploy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to devices for indicating the presents of a state of vacuum or pressure within a container that is easy to manufacture and easy to deploy, the device having two layers of substrate held in separable abutment such that separation from such abutment produces an indication of either vacuum or pressure within the container.

According to the teachings of the present invention there is provided, a device for indicating the current pressure state within a closed container, the device comprising: (a) at least a first substrate layer having a first set of displacement abilities; (b) at least a second substrate layer having a second set of displacement abilities that are different from the displacement abilities of the first substrate; wherein the first and second substrates are held in separable abutment such that displacement of one of the first and second substrate layers causes separation from such abutment thereby producing an indication of either vacuum or pressure within the container.

According to a further teaching of the present invention, the first and second sets of displacement abilities are flexibility such that one of the first and second substrate layers is a flexible layer and another one of the first and second substrate layers is a rigid layer.

According to a further teaching of the present invention, the indication is a change in color.

According to a further teaching of the present invention, the indication is a change in visible words.

According to a further teaching of the present invention, the indication is a visual change emitted by an electronic component.

According to a further teaching of the present invention, the indication is an auditory change emitted by an electronic component.

According to a further teaching of the present invention, the first and second sets of displacement abilities are flexibility such that one of the first and second substrate layers is more flexible than another one of the first and second substrate layers.

According to a further teaching of the present invention, the first and second sets of displacement abilities are displacement of rigid substrate layers such that one of the first and second substrate layers is deployed in a fixed position while another one of the first and second substrate layers is displaceable between an abutment position and a non-abutment position.

There is also provided according to the teachings of the present invention, a method for indicating a pressure differential between the pressure in the interior of a closed container and the ambient pressure, the method comprising: (a) deploying a pressure differential indicator on the container such that a first side of the pressure differential indicator is exposed to the interior of the container and a second side of the pressure differential indicator is exposed to the ambient pressure, wherein the device includes: (i) at least a first substrate layer having a first set of displacement abilities; (ii) at least a second substrate layer having a second set of displacement abilities that are different from the displacement abilities of the first substrate; wherein the first and second substrates are held in separable abutment such that displacement of one of the first and second substrate layers causes separation from such abutment thereby producing an indication of a pressure differential within the container; and (b) creating a pressure differential within the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1A is a side sectional and top elevation of a first embodiment of a vacuum indicator constructed and operational according to the teachings of the present invention, shown in a non-vacuum state;

FIG. 1B is a side sectional and top elevation of the vacuum indicator of FIG. 1A, shown in a vacuum state;

FIG. 2A is a side sectional and top elevation of a second embodiment of a vacuum indicator constructed and operational according to the teachings of the present invention, shown in a non-vacuum state;

FIG. 2B is a side sectional and top elevation of the vacuum indicator of FIG. 2A, shown in a vacuum state;

FIG. 2C is a side sectional and top elevation of a variant of the vacuum indicator of FIG. 2A, shown in a non-vacuum state;

FIG. 2D is a side sectional and top elevation of the vacuum indicator of FIG. 2C, shown in a vacuum state;

FIG. 3A is a side sectional and top elevation of a third embodiment of a vacuum indicator constructed and operational according to the teachings of the present invention, shown in a non-vacuum state;

FIG. 3B is a side sectional and top elevation of the vacuum indicator of FIG. 3A, shown in a vacuum state;

FIG. 4A is a side sectional and top elevation of a first embodiment of a pressure indicator constructed and operational according to the teachings of the present invention, shown in a non-pressurized state;

FIG. 4B is a side sectional and top elevation of the pressure indicator of FIG. 4A, shown in a pressurized state;

FIG. 5A is a side sectional and top elevation of a fourth embodiment of a vacuum indicator constructed and operational according to the teachings of the present invention, shown in a non-vacuum state;

FIG. 5B is a side sectional and top elevation of the vacuum indicator of FIG. 5A, shown in a vacuum state;

FIG. 6A is a side sectional and top elevation of a second embodiment of a pressure indicator constructed and operational according to the teachings of the present invention, shown in a non-pressurized state;

FIG. 6B is a side sectional and top elevation of the pressure indicator of FIG. 6A, shown in a pressurized state; and

FIG. 7A is a side sectional and top elevation of a fifth embodiment of a vacuum indicator constructed and operational according to the teachings of the present invention, shown in a non-vacuum state;

FIG. 7B is a side sectional and top elevation of the vacuum indicator of FIG. 7A, shown in a vacuum state.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention relates to devices for indicating the presence of a state of vacuum or pressure within a container that is easy to manufacture and easy to deploy, the device having two layers of substrate held in separable abutment such that separation from such abutment produces an indication of either vacuum or pressure within the container.

The principles and operation of devices for indicating the presence of a state of vacuum or pressure within a container according to the present invention may be better understood with reference to the drawings and the accompanying description.

By way of introduction, the devices for indicating the presence of a state of vacuum or pressure within a container of the present invention include at least two layers of substrate held in separable abutment such that separation from such abutment produces an indication of either vacuum or pressure within the container. Each of the substrates is configured with differing displacement abilities such that when a pressure differential either above (pressurized) or below (vacuum) ambient pressure created within the container on which the device is deployed, one of the substrates is displaced so as to separate it from the other substrate.

The present invention also includes a method for indicating a pressure differential between the pressure in the interior of a closed container and the ambient pressure that includes the steps of (1) deploying a pressure differential indicator of the present invention on the container such that a first side of the pressure differential indicator is exposed to the interior of the container and a second side of the pressure differential indicator is exposed to the ambient pressure and (2) creating a pressure differential within the container.

In some embodiments of the present invention, such as the non-limiting examples illustrated in FIGS. 1A-4B and 7A and 7B, the differing displacement ability is due to differing flexibility properties. This may be implemented with one flexible layer and one rigid layer. Alternatively, both layers may be flexible with one layer being more flexible than the other layer.

In other embodiments of the present invention, such as the non-limiting examples illustrated in FIGS. 5A-6B, the one substrate layer may be deployed in a fixed position while the other layer is displaceable between an abutment position and a non-abutment position.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate the principles of the present invention in their simplest form. The first preferred embodiment 2 of the present invention, as illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, is implemented as a simple “sticker” having two substrate layers 4 and 6.

While the two substrates layers 4 and 6 are attached one to another across their entire abutment interface region, the attachment in region 10 is a non-separable attachment and the attachment in region 12 is a separable abutment attachment.

Although there are a number of ways in which to attach the two substrates layers 4 and 6, a simplest non-limiting example is the use of a permanent adhesive in region 12 and an adhesive with non-permanent detachable adhesive properties in region 10. It will be appreciated that at least part, if not all, of the bottom surface 14 of substrate layer 6 is coated with adhesive so as to enable deployment of the sticker 2 on the surface of the container 20 in a position that fully covers a hole in the container.

Such a deployment and substrate attachment scheme will result in the separation of substrate layer 6 from abutment with layer 4 when a vacuum state is produced within the container 20.

It will be appreciated that the material of at least one, if not both, substrate layer 6 and substrate layer 4 may be colored such that when the two layers are in the abutment position of FIG. 1A, a first color is visible, and when substrate layer 6 is separated from abutment with layer 4, a second color is visible in the region 12 of non-abutment as illustrated in FIG. 1B.

The embodiments of the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 2A-2D apply the principle outlined with regard to FIGS. 1A and 1B to use with a container lid 102.

In this variant of the first embodiment of the present invention, the two substrate layers 104 and 106 are attached one to another across their entire abutment interface region, the attachment in region 110 is a non-separable attachment and the attachment in region 112 is a separable abutment attachment.

Here too, there are a number of ways in which to attach the two substrate layers 104 and 106, however, a simplest non-limiting example is the use of a permanent adhesive in region 112 and an adhesive with non-permanent detachable adhesive properties in region 110. It will be appreciated that while the embodiment illustrated here shows the operable substrates 104 and 106 spanning the entire top surface of the container lid 102, this is not intended as a limitation, but rather as a non-limiting example. Therefore, embodiments in which the operable substrates 104 and 106 span only a portion of the entire top surface of the container lid 102 are within the scope of the present invention. It will be understood that this is also true for any embodiment of the present invention implemented as a container lid.

As above, such a deployment and substrate attachment scheme will result in the separation of substrate layer 106 from abutment with layer 104 when a vacuum state is produced within the container (not shown) to which lid 102 is attached.

Here too, it will be appreciated that the material of at least one, if not both, substrate layer 106 and substrate layer 104 may be colored such that when the two layers are in the abutment position of FIG. 2A, a first color is visible, and when substrate layer 106 is separated from abutment with layer 104, a second color is visible in the region 112 of non-abutment as illustrated in FIG. 2B.

In the variant embodiment of FIGS. 2C and 2D, the color indication scheme is replaced with a visible word indication scheme. As illustrated, when the two layers 106 and substrate layer 104 are in the abutment position of FIG. 2C, a first word or phrase is visible. In this non-limiting example, the phase “no vacuum” is visible. Since the word “vacuum” 122 is printed on substrate layer 104 and the word “no” 120 is printed on substrate layer 106, when substrate layer 106 is separated from abutment with layer 104, the word “no” is no longer visible in the region 112 of non-abutment as illustrated in FIG. 2D. Therefore, when no state of vacuum is present in the interior of the container (not shown) to which lid 102 is attached, the phrase “no vacuum” is visible and when a state of vacuum is present in the interior of the container, the word “vacuum” is visible.

The third preferred embodiment of a vacuum indicator of the present invention as illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B adds a third substrate layer 320 and a further feature of the present invention, specifically a passageway and valve arrangement for use in creating a vacuum state within the container to which lid 302 is attached.

In this embodiment, the attachment relationship between substrate layers 304 and 306 is the same as described above. The additional substrate layer 320 is permanently attached to the top surface of substrate layer 304 in region 322 and is not attached in region 324. Such an attachment arrangement creates a passageway between the interior of the container through hole 330 in substrate layers 304 and 306, along the unattached region of 324 and out to the ambient atmosphere through hole 326 in substrate layer 320.

In operation, when air is removed from the interior of the container through the above described passageway and a vacuum state is created within the container, the unattached portion of substrate 320 in region 324 acts as a valve flap and seals the passageway, thereby maintaining the vacuum state within the container.

It will be understood that although the drawings illustrate this embodiment with the “no vacuum”/“vacuum” vacuum indicator, this is intended solely as a non-limiting example of this embodiment and that the color change vacuum indicator described above as well as substantially any suitable vacuum indicator may be employed. This is true also of the other drawings herein that illustrate the respective embodiment with the “no vacuum”/“vacuum” or “pressure”/“no pressure” pressure differential indicator.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate a first preferred embodiment of a pressure indicator lid 402 of the present invention. In this embodiment, while the more flexible substrate layer 406 is deployed on top of the less flexible substrate layer 404 the attachment of the two layers in regions 410 and 412 is the same as described above.

In this embodiment, the word “pressure” 422 is printed on substrate layer 406 and the word “no” 420 is printed on substrate layer 404. Therefore, when pressure is introduced into the container (not shown) the interior pressure passes through hole 432 in layer 404 and substrate layer 406 is separated from abutment with layer 404. When this occurs, the word “no” 420 is no longer visible in the region 412 of non-abutment as illustrated in FIG. 4B. Therefore, when no state of pressurization is present in the interior of the container, the phrase “no pressure” is visible and when a state of pressurization is present in the interior of the container, only the word “pressure” is visible.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 5A-6B, the flexible substrate layers described above are replaced with displaceable rigid substrate layer as will now be described.

Vacuum indicator lid 502 of FIGS. 5A and 5B is configured with a first fixed position rigid substrate layer 504. A displaceable rigid substrate layer 506 is held in separable abutment to substrate layer 504 by spring 520 that is supported by a second fixed position rigid substrate layer 522.

In operation, as a state of vacuum is created within the container (not shown), air is also drawn through hole 530 from region 532 between substrate layers 506 and 522. This causes substrate layer 506 to be separated from abutment with substrate layer 504. Such separation produces an indication of vacuum within the container as described above, such as the change of the phrase “no vacuum” to the word “vacuum”.

Pressure indicator lid 602 of FIGS. 6A and 6B is configured with a first fixed position rigid substrate layer 604. A displaceable rigid substrate layer 606 is held in separable abutment to substrate layer 604 by spring 620 that is supported by a second fixed position rigid substrate layer 622.

In operation, as a state of pressurization is created within the container (not shown), air is also forced through hole 630 from region 632 between substrate layers 606 and 622. This causes substrate layer 606 to be separated from abutment with substrate layer 604. Such separation produces an indication of vacuum within the container as described above, such as the change of the phrase “no vacuum” to the word “vacuum” that is visible through clear substrate layer 622.

The fifth preferred embodiment of a vacuum indicator 702 illustrated in FIGS. 7A and 7B adds electronic components to the basic principles described with regard to FIGS. 1A-2D. These additional electronic components include:

-   -   an electronic pressure differential indictor 720 that may be         implemented as, by non-limiting example, a light emitting or a         sound emitting element;     -   an energy source 722 that may be implemented as, by non-limiting         example, a battery or a photovoltaic cell;     -   a switch 724 that is implemented here having two sections,         section 724 a deployed on substrate layer 704 and section 724 b         deployed on substrate layer 706;     -   wire 726 providing an electric connection between energy source         722 and switch 724 held in separable abutment such that         separation from such abutment produces an indication of either         vacuum or pressure within the container; and     -   wire 728 providing an electric connection between switch 724 and         electronic pressure differential indictor 720.

In operation, a vacuum state being created within the container (not shown) causes substrate layer 706 to be separated from abutment with substrate layer 704. Such separation produces an indication of vacuum within the container by causing switch 722 to be opened, thereby turning off electronic pressure differential indictor 720 which had been operational in a turned on state prior to the creation of the vacuum state while the substrate layers 706 and 704 were in an abutment position.

It should be noted that although not illustrated in the drawings herein, an embodiment configured with both a pressure indicator and a vacuum indicator is within the scope of the present invention.

It will be appreciated that indicators of the present invention may be used to benefit on cans to prevent food poisoning, and as freshness indicators on dairy product containers, medications, vitamins, jars of baby food, coffee, etc.

Other embodiments within the scope of the present invention include a product shelf life indicator in which the product barcode disappears and the product cannot be sold if a change of pressure within the container that is indicative of unsuitability occurs, as well as an indicator capable of producing graduated indications in response to a continuous gradual change in pressure differential.

It will be appreciated that the above descriptions are intended only to serve as examples and that many other embodiments are possible within the spirit and the scope of the present invention. 

1. A device for indicating the current pressure state within a closed container, the device comprising: (a) at least a first substrate layer having a first set of displacement abilities; (b) at least a second substrate layer having a second set of displacement abilities that are different from said displacement abilities of said first substrate; wherein said first and second substrates are held in separable abutment such that displacement of one of said first and second substrate layers causes separation from such abutment thereby producing an indication of either vacuum or pressure within the container.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein said first and second sets of displacement abilities are flexibility such that one of said first and second substrate layers is a flexible layer and another one of said first and second substrate layers is a rigid layer.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein said indication is a change in color.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein said indication is a change in visible words.
 5. The device of claim 1, wherein said indication is a visual change emitted by an electronic component.
 6. The device of claim 1, wherein said indication is an auditory change emitted by an electronic component.
 7. The device of claim 1, wherein said first and second sets of displacement abilities are flexibility such that one of said first and second substrate layers is more flexible than another one of said first and second substrate layers.
 8. The device of claim 1, wherein said first and second sets of displacement abilities are displacement of rigid substrate layers such that one of said first and second substrate layers is deployed in a fixed position while another one of said first and second substrate layers is displaceable between an abutment position and a non-abutment position.
 9. A method for indicating a pressure differential between the pressure in the interior of a closed container and the ambient pressure, the method comprising: (a) deploying a pressure differential indicator on the container such that a first side of said pressure differential indicator is exposed to the interior of the container and a second side of said pressure differential indicator is exposed to the ambient pressure, wherein the device includes: (i) at least a first substrate layer having a first set of displacement abilities; (ii) at least a second substrate layer having a second set of displacement abilities that are different from said displacement abilities of said first substrate; wherein said first and second substrates are held in separable abutment such that displacement of one of said first and second substrate layers causes separation from such abutment thereby producing an indication of a pressure differential within the container; and (b) creating a pressure differential within the container. 